Through The Smoke
Self-Released, 2021
9/10
A Montana quintet with an affinity for bluegrass sounds, this 4th studio album from Laney Lou and company illustrates their unbelievable picking prowess and glowing vocal harmonies across 11 very authentic songs.
“Hi-Line” leads the listen with Lou’s pretty pipes alongside bluegrass friendly strings that certainly aren’t short on melody, and “Up For Air” follows with sublime beauty amid flowing banjo and soaring fiddle acrobatics.
Approaching the middle, “Burn It Down” recruits soothing vocal harmonies amid a swift display of mountainous sounds, while “Reeling” trims the pace back with its expressive singing and dreamy musicianship. “Ball and Chain”, another exceptional tune, then glides quickly with meticulous picking and firm group vocals.
The playful “Paradise” arrives near the end and brings a festive spirit that might get you dancing in the barn, and “Alive” exits the listen with a meshing of folk, country, Americana and bluegrass in a tuneful and very precise finish to a highly memorable effort.
The Bird Dogs consists of Josh Moore (guitar/vocals), Brian Kassay (fiddle/harmonica/mandolin/vocals), Matt Demarais (banjo/vocals) and Ethan Demarais (bass), and together with Lou they inject pop and rock nods into their bluegrassy ways on this top notch and glorious body of work.
Travels well with: Merle Monroe- Songs Of A Simple Life; Wilson Banjo Co.- Six Degrees Of Separation